


Happy Valentine's Day

by letterfromtrenwith



Category: Poldark (TV 2015), Poldark - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Gen, Modern AU, Valentine's Day, shameless fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-14
Updated: 2019-02-14
Packaged: 2019-10-28 13:58:47
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,443
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17788700
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/letterfromtrenwith/pseuds/letterfromtrenwith
Summary: A bit of shameless Valentine's Day fluff.A special day.





	Happy Valentine's Day

 

"Are you awake, my baby?" Elizabeth knew the answer to that question, having already heard Valentine's happy gurgling over the baby monitor, but she murmured it anyway as she gently pushed open the door to the nursery. He had pulled himself up to stand in his cot, grinning gummily at her.

"Mama!" He bounced a little, almost falling back onto his bottom as he let go of the bars to reach up for her. Elizabeth caught him in time, swinging him up into her arms.

"It's your special day today, precious. Do you know what that means?"

"Yes!" He didn't, but he did know that 'Yes!' was a suitable response to most questions his parents asked. Once he was ready and dressed - which as usual involved a lot of wriggling and kicking - she carried him downstairs, finding George stringing up rainbow coloured bunting in the living room.

"Oh, here he is!" George greeted her with a soft kiss on the cheek, before ruffling Valentin's dark curls gently. "Happy birthday, little man."

"Dada!" George smiled fondly at his son and Elizabeth was taken back to the day Valentine was born, George cradling the tiny bundle in his arms in the hospital. She could hardly believe it was a whole year ago.

It had been Caroline's idea to have a first birthday party for him, declaring that as godmother it was her right to organise such things. Elizabeth had demurred to begin with, but to her surprise George had been quite enthusiastic. She should have realised that he would relish an opportunity to spoil Valentine, as if he didn't do it all the time anyway.

"Well, don't you look smart. Mummy got you all dressed up, hmm?" George brushed the sleeve of Valentine's jumper, a neat navy with a little white shirt collar attached. Elizabeth had no doubt it would need a thorough wash by the end of the day. "Should we give him his presents from us now, or wait until the party?"

"Oh, I think we can wait." Elizabeth smiled. "But let's get some breakfast first, hmm?"

George carried on decorating while Valentine worked his way through a pancake with some yoghurt and jam, his smart outfit carefully covered with the biggest bib Elizabeth could find. When she carried him back into the living room, he stared around in fascination at the brightly coloured streamers and balloons. A banner reading 'VALENTINE' in brightly coloured letters decorated with tropical birds - a special creation by Morwenna - hung over the mantelpiece.

"Ba - "

"That's right, balloon! Can you say balloon?"

"Ba!"

"Clever boy!" Elizabeth kissed him on the head and he giggled. Gently, she put him down in his playpen, where he happily seized on his toys, talking away to himself while he played. "Is there anything I can do?"

"Not really, I - " Before George could finish, the doorbell rang. "That'll be Caroline."

It was Caroline, accompanied by Verity, Dwight and several alarmingly large bags.

"What is all this?"

"Only the best for my godson."

~

Morwenna arrived shortly afterwards, with Drake in tow, and a big bag of her own. Francis and Demelza followed them, Demelza letting Verity fuss her into a chair and sharing a knowing smile with Elizabeth. Demelza was due to have a baby of her own in about six weeks' time, and it seemed she had finally given in to Verity's mother hen-ing; Elizabeth had done the same when she was that far along.

The party went off perfectly, of course; there was no way it wouldn't with Caroline in charge. Valentine delighted in all the attention, in the cuddles and presents and general fuss, and especially in the big teddy-bear shaped cake Verity had baked for him.

He particularly enjoyed helping to rip the paper off his presents, even if he occasionally seemed more interested in the paper - and trying to put it in his mouth - than the gifts. He did like the cuddly dinosaur from Morwenna, and the duck which quacked when pulled along on its wheels, a typically mischeivous gift from Francis. 

"Well, that noise is going to haunt our nightmares, thank you." George raised his eyebrows at Francis who just laughed. "Once that baby's born, I'm going to buy him or her the most annoying toy I can find."

After Valentine's treats - and an only slightly off-key rendition of 'Happy Birthday' - there was a nice, leisurely lunch for the adults. Valentine decided he wanted to sit on his cousin Morwenna's lap, and so spent the meal trying to pick bits of sandwich and pastry off her plate. Miraculously, his outfit remained untouched bar a few crumbs.

"Thank you for your help with the food, Verity." Her friend shook her head modestly at Elizabeth's thanks. "It's all delicious."

"Well, we'll have to enjoy it while we can before Verity dedicates herself full time to being an auntie." Demelza smiled. "I think she's more enthusiastic than we are!"

"Yes, because I get to have all the fun and then hand them back!" Verity grinned.

"Hmm, the Morwenna Chynoweth school of babysitting!" Added George, as Morwenna bounced Valentine on her knee, not bothering to disagree.

"I think we should have a speech from the birthday boy." Caroline said, sipping her non-alcoholic cocktail.

"Yes!" Valentine cried, making everyone laugh.

"I think what Valentine is trying to say is: He's very grateful you all came today, especially given the date." George raised his glass. "And cheers."

"Cheers to Valentine!" Demelza tipped her drink in turn. Hearing his name in chorus excited Valentine who waved his arms, laughing.

"I have another present." Caroline stood up from the table and disappeared into the other room for a moment.

"Oh, Caroline, you really shouldn't have!" To Elizabeth's surprise, Caroline handed her the package when she returned. It was flat, rectangular and reasonably heavy.

"It's actually more for Mummy than for Valentine." Intrigued, Elizabeth ripped off the paper, revealing a simple, elegant silver frame. Inside was a collage of pictures - Valentine on the first day he came home from the hospital, in his first bed, at his christening, in the little chunky jumper Verity had knitted him, with his face covered in jam and - just a few weeks ago - on the day he took his first step. The bottom of the frame was engraved: _Happy Birthday, Valentine._

"Oh, Caroline...." Elizabeth felt tears spring to her eyes. "It's beautiful. Thank you so much."

~

The party went on for quite a while, even after Valentine decided it was time for an afternoon nap, all of the excitement having tired him out, but eventually wound up sometime in the early evening.

"This was much better than some overpriced dinner in a garishly decorated restaurant." Caroline smiled as she kissed Elizabeth goodbye.

"I'm sure you've still got something planned." Elizabeth glanced over Caroline's shoulder at where Dwight stood waiting by the car.

"Oh, most definitely."

After almost everything had been cleared away - they decided to leave the balloons and streamers up for a few days - Valentine woke up again with his usual energy and spent the next couple of hours rampaging around with his new toys. He might have only started walking recently, but he was accomplished enough at toddling to have that duck quacking like mad for a good twenty minutes, Elizabeth laughing at George's pained expression.

Eventually, after he finally settled into bed, Elizabeth stood watching him for a moment, smiling at the depectively angelic expression his face. Her little boy; his first year had gone by in a flash, and it wouldn't be long before he was two and three, and then starting school. Very gently, she reached down and brushed a dark curl off his forehead.

"He'll be up again in a couple of hours." George said as she shut their bedroom door behind her.

"Probably," she laughed. "But since it's his birthday I think he should be allowed to get in with Mummy and Daddy."

"How is that different from any other night?!"

Once she'd changed into her pyjamas, Elizabeth slid into bed beside George, cuddling into him as she liked to do. He wrapped an arm around her and stroked her hair softly.

"Today was lovely, I'm so glad you convinced me to agree to it." Something suddenly occured to her and she frowned. "Wait, those pictures...Caroline didn't take all of those. We took some of them."

"Yes..."

"You knew about that!" She propped herself up to look down at him.

"Yes, but it was Caroline's idea. She asked me if I thought you would like it." He smiled. "I knew you would."

"I definitely did." Elizabeth kissed him gently. "Thank you."

"Happy Valentine's Day."

 

 


End file.
